Corn-knife.



R. WALKER.

CORN KNIFE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19. 191B.

Patented Sept. 17, 1918,

WIT ESSES ATTORNEY ROY WALKER, 0F HARDINSBURG, KENTUCKY.

CORN-KNIFE.

Specification of Letters Iatent. Iatented Sept. 1'7, 1918.

Application filed March 19, 1918. Serial No. 223.371.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROY WALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hardinsburg, in the county of Breckinridge and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn- Knives, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to corn knives, and has for its primary object to provide a knife of simple and improved construction which may be efficiently used for topping and cutting corn.

A further object of the invention is to provide a knife of the character and for the purpose mentioned which is of extremely simple and inexpensive construction, which has a single rigid cutting edge, thus obviating the disadvantages and inconveniences incident to the use of knives having separable or movable cutting elements, and which may be quickly and easily applied to or removed from the hand of the user.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a knife for cutting corn, by the use of which the process of topping or cutting corn may be carried out with one hand, and which may be operated so as to quickly and cleanly sever a cornstalk or top with but comparatively little exertion.

Still further objects reside in providing a knife of the character mentioned which is of inexpensive construction, which is capable of being readily adjusted to fit hands of various sizes, which has its hand attaching means so arranged as to present the cutting edge at the proper angle, which may be easily and quickly sharpened when required, and which will prove thoroughly practical and eflicient in use.

With these objects in view, together with others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel formation, combination, and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings z- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a corn knife of my invention, the view illustrating the manner in which the knife will be applied to the hand, and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The knife of my invention comprises a blade 3 of thin light metal, and being flat throughout its length and breadth. This blade is of peculiar shape, and is shaped along one edge so as to provide a recess or crotch 4. This crotched portion is located near the outer end of the blade, and is adapted to receive the stalk or top to be severed. The blade is sharpened along one edge as at 5. while the opposite longitudinal edge of the blade is blunt.

The inner end of the blade is reduced as shown at 6, and is adapted to have secured thereto a strap 7 to be engaged around the wrist of the user of the knife. This strap is passed through spaced longitudinally disposed slots 8 in the reduced end 6, thus permitting of the strap being readily applied to or removed from the blade. It will be observed that the strap or wrist securing means 7 is substantially longitudinally alined with the recess or crotch portion a of the blade.

The blade 3 is provided upon its upper surface with a grip member indicated at 9 topermit of the hand of the user firmly holding the blade. This grip member in the present instance comprises a loop of light metal, and is firmly attached to the blade inwardly from the outer end thereof. The loop member has one of its legs or ends longer than the other, and both of the ends of the member are reduced and disposed angularly and are threaded as shown. A shoulder is formed at the juncture of the le portions of the hand grip member with t e reduced stems 10, and these shoulders are adapted to rest upon the upper surface of the blade. The blade is provided with a pair of spaced series of apertures or openings 11, through which the stems 10 are adapted to be inserted. To securely hold the hand grip upon the blade, nuts 12 are engaged over the ends of the stems 10, and when these nuts are tightened, the shoulders referred to will be forced into binding engagement with the upper surface of the blade. It will be observed that the series 11 of openings are disposed longitudinally of the blade so that the hand grip 9 may be adjusted toward or away from the wrist strap 7. By so constructing the device, the topping knife is adaptable to hands of various sizes and'may be adjusted to suit the convenience and comfort of the user. The wrist strap 7 and loop 9 are arranged uponthe blade in such manner that the edge of the fingers hand will rest upon the-blade and when the are passed through the loop 9, the latter forms a grip member to enable the user to firmly grasp the instrument. By having one leg of the loop member longer than the other, the said loop is disposed at an angle upon tl'i'e'blade, thus causing the cutting blade 5 to be disposed at the proper angle for effecting a perfect severing of the stalk.

After the loop member has been adjusted upon the blade to suit the size of the hand, the device is applied by passing the strap 7' around the Wrist of the user. and buckling the same. Thefingers are inserted through the loop 9, and may be freely used in grasping corn, stalks. The stalk is grasped in the hand above the point Where it is desired to cut the same, and this grasping of the stalk will cause the cutting blade to engage the stalk adjacent the crotch portion 4. A slight outward turn of the Wrist Will cause the cutting edge 'to be brought into engagement with the stalk, whereupon the latter is severed.

From the foregoing it is obvious that a devi e constructedin accordance with the invention is of evtremely simple construction, and when once applied to the hand Will at all times be available and ready for use. By arranging the loop member 9 in the position specified, it is obvious that the same will lie Within the palm of the hand, and by clenching the hand upon the loop member in the cutting operation, strain upon the Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each.

Wrist or upon the Wrist strap 7 will be greatly relieved.

lVhile the present is a disclosure of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, as various changes in the minor details of construction, proportion, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to if desired Without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a topping knife, a blade having spaced series of apertures, a hand grip comprising a loop, one end of said loop being longer than the other and both of said ends being threaded and being adapted to enter said apertures, and nuts for engagement on the said threaded ends to hold the loop upon the said blade.

In a topping knife, a blade, means for V securing one end of said blade to the wrist of the user, a loop member having spaced legs, one of said legs being longer than the other, angularly disposed stems 011 the extremities of said legs, said blade having spaced longitudinal openings adapted to receive said stems, and means for securing said stems in said openings.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two Wi nesses.

ROY WVALKER. lVitnesses J. T. BTGCLELLAN, Ora BULLOCK.

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

